It’s been found that 69% of today’s consumers prefer that sales associates have a smart device, like a tablet or smartphone, to teach them about what they’re buying. This is no different in the field service industry.
So, what are you arming your salespeople with in the field? Antiquated paper catalogs and tedious forms? If the answer is yes, it’s time to consider a rugged tablet.
If you haven’t explored the idea of upgrading your techs with modern equipment, then you’ll need to start with a few basic questions. How much will it cost? How durable are the tablets? Can they be feasibly integrated into your business?
In this post, we’ll consider the reasons why you might want to buy rugged tablets for your field service workers. Then, we’ll provide an overview of our top picks of the best rugged field service tablets.
Finally, we’ll share our advice on finding top quality field service software to run on your tablets so you can maximize your tablet investment with useful, usable software for your team. Specifically, we’ll walk through the key features of our field service software solution, ServiceTitan.
Best Rugged Tablets for Field Work
Why Do You Need a Rugged Tablet for Field Work?
The thought of providing your techs with a delicate piece of equipment may be disconcerting, but with rugged tablets, fears about durability should be the furthest thing from your mind.
They’re built for sustainability and working in challenging environments.
Rugged tablets also provide excellent connectivity while withstanding the demands of the field.
Here’s why you should consider investing in rugged devices for your field service business:
Durable
When you hear the word “tablet,” you probably think of how fragile they are. In your line of work, it’s hard to justify using such delicate equipment on a regular basis.
Let’s face it, field work is messy, destructive and can be downright dangerous. Having a brand-new iPad Pro on a dingy job site is enough to give some tech lovers an anxiety attack. But, the best rugged Android tablet for business isn’t necessarily the best tablet for your business. So, what's the alternative?
Rugged tablets are made to be used in harsh environments. Most of them have ingress protection, and they are resistant to extreme temperatures, dustproof, and watertight. In fact, it’s not difficult to find a model that is water-resistant enough to be submerged in water for up to 30 minutes without skipping a beat.
These machines are also created to be dropped. Most rugged tablets are made using toughened Gorilla Glass and can fall from several feet (or more) without breaking.
Reliable
The typical conventional Android or Windows tablet has an 18% failure rate, but ruggedized tablets have a failure rate of 4%. If a typical tablet is a Kia, let’s just call a rugged tablet a military-ready Humvee. And, a Humvee might be exactly what you need.
Rugged tablets are also built to provide versatility, with many offering connectivity options (e.g. 4G LTE in addition to 4G and 5G), swappable batteries to preserve long battery life, and hand-straps for extra stability.
Consumer-friendly
We’ve already touched on consumers’ expectations with regard to technology and sales.
For example, when a service tech is trying to sell a new HVAC unit or water heater, consumers want their salesperson to educate them on their purchase.
According to Tracey Fennell, Accounting Manager with Great Dane HVAC in Clinton Township, Michigan, one of the biggest benefits of using rugged tablets is being able to show and explain to customers what they’re buying and why they need it.
When sales staff are knowledgeable, 88% of consumers say they’re more likely to buy.
Arming staff with a rugged tablet is a great way to showcase that knowledge and help consumers make an educated decision about an important purchase.
In general, tablets for business are a great way to go paperless. Customers love using digital forms that can be emailed to them instead of a pile of paper that ends up cluttering their home.
With in-field tablets, your technicians also remain connected to the cloud-based online tools that drive your business. Access to field service apps through your tablets enable more connectivity to the business and vital information customers may need. (We’ll explain how our field service software, ServiceTitan, does exactly this, below).
Techs can review client history on the spot, impress customers with forms to help them with unique requests, and take advantage of any information that you keep on-hand at the office. It’s the perfect solution to help your sales leaders arrive on-site with everything they need.
Affordable
Rugged tablets start at a few hundred dollars and can cost in the thousands if you buy a top-of-the-line, military-grade (MIL-STD-810g) model. What’s affordable and right for one company might not be for others.
The important thing is to consider what features you need and choose a rugged tablet in your budget with all or most of those features.
There’s no use buying a tablet for business with every bell and whistle if you only plan to use it for filling out forms and staying in touch with your techs.
Great Dane HVAC believes their investment in rugged tablets for their techs has been well worth the cost. The way their communication has improved, both with their techs and customers, is priceless.
There are many rugged tablets suitable for field service on the market today. So many, in fact, it can be difficult to determine which have the features you need and want, and which simply aren’t worth the investment.
In this article, we cover the 6 best rugged tablets for field service technicians.
6 Best Rugged Tablets for Field Service Technicians
Dell Latitude 7220 Rugged Extreme: Solid Reliability
Panasonic Toughbook G2: Best Battery Life
Getac F110: Great Durability
Zebra ET40 Rugged Tablet: Best Starter Tablet
Oukitel Rt2: Best Budget Option
Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro: Best Android Rugged Tablet
While any of these options are solid selections for a field service business, knowing which one is best for your business will come down to a few key factors — price point, battery life, weight, memory, storage capacity, screen, and operating system. We consider each of these in our product overviews.
1. Dell Latitude 7220 Rugged Extreme: Solid Reliability
Built to withstand 4-foot drops and military tested, the Dell Latitude 7220 Rugged Extreme is a reliable in-field laptop choice. At $1,552, this rugged laptop isn’t exactly cheap but lands on the more budget-friendly side, without sacrificing quality.
The Rugged Extreme totes a strong helping of RAM (16GB) to enable speed and efficiency. The decent storage space (256GB) is also a great benefit for a business with bustling schedules. With 19 hours of battery life and a tethered stylus pen, it can be used in the field on long working days without marking the touchscreen with grubby fingers.
Battery life: 19 hours with two hot-swappable batteries
Weight: 3 pounds
Memory: Quad-core 16GB RAM
Storage: 256GB
Screen: 11.6-inch touchscreen with Gorilla Glass
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro and Windows 11 Pro
2. Panasonic Toughbook G2: Best Battery Life
At a base price of $2,999, the Panasonic Toughbook G2 costs significantly more than the Rugged Extreme, but it also comes with twice the functionality. While this fully rugged tablet 2-in-1 isn’t indestructible, it’s built to survive rain and drops from shoulder height, making it a top choice for first responders and field service personnel.
Panasonic touts the G2’s 36 feature combinations to deliver the ultimate computing experience, including infrared webcams and biometric user authentication. With great durability, a long battery life, and even greater storage capacity, the G2 is truly a rugged laptop built to last, although, at 10.1 inches, the screen is on the small side.
Battery life: 21-hour battery life
Weight: 2.9 pounds
Memory: 16GB
Storage: 512GB
Screen: 10.1 inches
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
3. Getac F110: Great Durability
For around $2,579, the Getac F110 provides a strong balance of durability and usability. Built with an IP66 rating, the F110 can withstand a wide range of abuse. Beyond being designed to reduce scratching or screen abrasions, the F110 is also resistant to shock, spill, vibration, and can handle drops up to five feet without damage or disruption.
The Getac also has an optional keyboard, barcode scanner, a stylus with a built-in holder and hand strap to minimize the chance of losing it when in use.
Battery life: 14 hours
Weight: 3 pounds
Memory: 8GB for base model
Storage: 256GB
Screen: 11.6 inches
Operating System: Windows 10 Pro
4. Zebra ET40 Rugged Tablet: Best Starter Tablet
The small and lightweight Zebra ET40 is considered an entry-level tablet. It’s built to be more consumer friendly at prices ranging from $700 to $800, depending on the seller. The tablet operates on Android 11, providing bluetooth and WiFi 6, with the ET45 using a SIM slot for 5G LTE.
The ET40 remains a great choice for getting your teams started with in-field tablets. The rugged tablet is still as durable as higher-end options, able to withstand 4 feet of drops to concrete.
Battery life: Varies
Weight: 1.08 pounds
Memory: 4GB at base model
Storage: 64GB
Screen: 10.1 inches
Operating System: Android
5. Oukitel RT2: Best Budget Option
Priced around $320, the Oukitel RT2 is the most budget-friendly option for equipping your crews with a rugged tablet. It provides decent memory RAM and storage for your teams, making it just as viable an option as the big sellers. The casing keeps this tablet rugged and weather resistant, making it a top choice for outdoor techs.
The RT2 provides all the foundational features your crews need to perform their tasks, running on the Android operating system and providing bluetooth as well as WiFi options, and front and rear cameras.
Battery life: 3 hours
Weight: 2.27 pounds
Memory: 8GB
Storage: 128GB
Screen: 10.1 inches
Operating System: Android
6. Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro: Best Android Rugged Tablet
The Samsung Galaxy Tab Active4 Pro is MIL-STD-810g tested to handle demanding work environments, extreme hot and cold temperatures, drops, and spills. With 5G and WiFi 6, this rugged tablet has excellent connectivity while its long-lasting battery can be recharged with a fast charger or the tablet can be used without a battery in “no battery mode.”
The Galaxy’s enhanced touchscreen works well in wet conditions, with gloves, or using Samsung’s IP68-rated S Pen for signing documents on the go. Built with the Android operating system, this robust tablet is a solid choice at a reasonable price if you don’t need a lot of memory and storage.
Battery life: 15 hours
Weight: 1.46 pounds
Memory: 6GB
Storage: 128GB
Screen: 10.1 inches
Operating System: Android
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Optimize Your Team’s Rugged Tablets with ServiceTitan Field Service Software
If you’re going to invest in good-quality rugged tablets for your field service workers, it makes sense to capitalize on your investment by using top-notch field service software that saves your techs time, helps them perform their job more efficiently, and is something they love to use.
ServiceTitan’s high-performance field service software has been designed specifically for the trades (including HVAC, plumbing, and electricians) and has a ton of features to help contractors run their businesses more efficiently and profitably in both commercial and residential settings.
Our mobile app replaces a wide range of paper-based processes because all customer documents — invoices, estimates, memberships, contracts, etc. — are uploaded to the cloud and can be accessed by techs (and the main office) from any device.
Capitalize on Your Rugged Tablet with ServiceTitan’s Mobile App
Compatible with both Android and iOS operating systems, ServiceTitan Mobile offers field service workers an intuitive user experience that’s easy to learn and enjoyable to use.
With ServiceTitan Mobile, techs can do the following directly from their rugged tablet:
Access work order and customer information in real-time so they are always prepared for each job.
Build instant digital estimates with accurate pricing and product information that customers can approve on the spot.
Offer customers financing options so that estimates can be confirmed quickly.
Maximize upselling opportunities such as maintenance contracts that bring in more revenue.
Create invoices and take payments directly from customers so you get paid faster.
Sign-off timesheets remotely in real-time so payroll is accurate and prompt.
Work offline when connectivity is unavailable so that workflows are uninterrupted.
Here’s how our mobile app works.
Real-Time Access to Work Order Details
With ServiceTitan Mobile, field techs can access all customer information collected by CSRs in real-time from their rugged tablet.
From the home screen dashboard, techs can easily see the work orders they have scheduled for the day, each presented as a job card with basic information such as:
Customer’s name
Scheduled date and time
Address
Arrival window
Tags identifying other key job information (potential member, replacement opportunity, etc.)
More details of a particular job (including work order descriptions, distance to the job site, and even access to the call recording between the office staff and customer) can be viewed by a simple tap on the job card.
As the job progresses, new information (such as photos of the job site, estimates, and notes) can be automatically stored and accessed in real-time by anyone who needs to see it (either on-site or at the office).
Enhance Customer Experience & Boost Upselling Opportunities
Because techs have access to all customer and job details, they arrive at the job fully prepared and knowing what work has taken place previously. This level of knowledge and attention to customer service gives customers additional confidence in the tech assigned to do the work.
Your field service staff can also impress customers by creating instant digital estimates, directly from their rugged tablet. With ServiceTitan, you can set up a dynamic flat-rate pricebook that’s always up-to-date (across all devices) so you and your team can build accurate estimates that bring in profit.
Techs can create Good-Better-Best proposals that show customers high-quality images of all products, and provide explainer videos and detailed product information on-site.
Once a customer selects their option, ServiceTitan connects the estimate to the rest of the workflow, including scheduling, dispatching, and billing.
Likewise, ServiceTitan’s integrated financing feature automatically calculates financing options, based on your business rules, and helps your techs win more customers by offering flexible financing options directly from their mobile computing device. This not only gives customers the services they want at a price that suits them, but increases the likelihood of techs closing bigger jobs and boosting sales.
ServiceTitan Mobile also gives techs the ability to see which customers would benefit from a maintenance contract and which may have outstanding estimates that need closing.
Techs can use pre-approved maintenance agreement templates, present them to the customer, and get them signed while on a job. Without this information, figuring out which customers to target and which ones already have a contract to manage, would be extremely difficult. Techs could easily ignore upselling opportunities. With ServiceTitan Mobile, all opportunities, including unsold estimates, can be followed up from a rugged tablet, resulting in more sales (and profit) for your business.
Instant Billing and Tracking Payroll
Another advantage of ServiceTitan Mobile is that field techs can create invoices from their tablet when they are on the job site so that revenue can be collected as quickly as possible.
With ServiceTitan’s free Invoice Generator tool, techs can input the relevant information into a customized invoice template and send it directly to the customer via text or email. This saves time, looks professional, and reduces mistakes (such as pricing errors or lost paperwork).
Techs can also take payments directly from customers by capturing checks and credit cards via the rugged tablet camera, or you can add a credit card swiper. This is convenient for customers and means you get paid faster.
ServiceTitan’s payroll software means you can track your field staff’s productivity (via timesheets) and pay them accurately and on time. The app lets techs sign off timesheets remotely via their tablet, reducing the need of driving into the office.
This means your payroll procedure runs more efficiently and your field staff will be confident that they will always be paid correctly and promptly.
Offline Capabilities
It’s worth noting that ServiceTitan Mobile has offline capabilities, so all of these features and workflows are available even when techs are outside of zones with cell service or internet connectivity (a key feature that not all software solutions offer).
Learn more about how to keep company tablets and mobiles secure in this post and how to manage a mobile workforce here.
Try ServiceTitan Software on Your Rugged Field Service Tablet
Adding rugged tablets to your fleet of equipment could transform your business. Their durability and dependability combined with customers’ inclinations toward technology and education make them a great choice for any field service business.
But, before you commit to a rugged tablet for field work, do your extensive research to ensure you’re getting a product that meets the needs of your techs, your customers, and your budget. And, perhaps a rugged case could be enough to do the job.
Whatever you decide, investing in rugged tablets for your field workers justifies investing in a high quality field service software, like ServiceTitan, so you can optimize the rugged tablets and your workforce.
ServiceTitan helps you run all aspects of your field service business more efficiently. Schedule a call to find out how our software, and our mobile app for rugged tablets, can help drive the growth of your field service business.
ServiceTitan Software
ServiceTitan is a comprehensive software solution built specifically to help service companies streamline their operations, boost revenue, and substantially elevate the trajectory of their business. Our comprehensive, cloud-based platform is used by thousands of electrical, HVAC, plumbing, garage door, and chimney sweep shops across the country—and has increased their revenue by an average of 25% in just their first year with us.
